1 Voici que la Sagesse fait son propre éloge, et qu’elle se rend gloire au milieu de son peuple. | 1 Wisdom will praise her own mind, and she will be honored by God, and she will be glorified in the midst of her people. |
2 Elle a pris la parole à l’Assemblée du Très-Haut, c’est devant le Tout-Puissant qu’elle se glorifie. | 2 And she will open her mouth in the churches of the Most High, and she will be glorified in the sight of his virtue. |
3 Je suis sortie, dit-elle, de la bouche du Très-Haut, et comme un brouillard j’ai recouvert la terre. | 3 And in the midst of her own people, she will be exalted. And she will be admired by the holy assembly. |
4 Dans les hauteurs du ciel est ma demeure, mon trône est dans la colonne de nuée. | 4 And she will have praise within the multitude of the elect. And she will be blessed among the blessed. And she will say: |
5 Moi seule ai fait le tour de la voûte du ciel et parcouru le fond des océans. | 5 “I went forth from the mouth of the Most High, as the first-born before all creatures. |
6 J’ai pris possession des flots de la mer; à moi la terre, et tous les peuples et toutes les nations. | 6 I caused an unfailing light to arise in the heavens. And I covered all the earth like a cloud. |
7 Chez eux tous j’ai cherché un lieu où m’arrêter: chez qui, en quel domaine aurai-je un abri? | 7 I lived in the highest places, and my throne is in the pillar of a cloud. |
8 Et le Créateur de toutes choses m’a donné un ordre, celui qui m’a créée m’a indiqué où dresser ma tente. Il m’a dit: “Installe-toi en Jacob, qu’Israël soit ton domaine!” | 8 I alone have encompassed the circuit of heaven, and have penetrated to the depths of the abyss, and have walked upon the waves of the sea, |
9 Dès le commencement le Seigneur m’avait créée, avant que n’existe le temps, et je ne passe pas avec le temps. | 9 and have stood upon the whole earth. And among every people, |
10 Je célèbre en sa présence la liturgie de sa Sainte Demeure, et c’est pour cela même que je me suis fixée en Sion. | 10 and in every nation, I have held primacy. |
11 Il m’a fait reposer dans la ville bien-aimée, c’est de Jérusalem que j’exerce mon pouvoir. | 11 And by virtue, I have tread upon the hearts of all, the great and the lowly. And I have sought my rest in all of them. And I will continue, as the inheritance of the Lord. |
12 J’ai pris racines dans le peuple glorifié par le Seigneur, dans ce domaine qui est son héritage. | 12 Then the Creator of all things instructed and spoke with me. And the One who created me rested in my tabernacle. |
13 Je me suis élevée comme un cèdre du Liban, comme les cyprès sur les pentes de l’Hermon. | 13 And he said to me: ‘Let your dwelling place be with Jacob, and let your inheritance be in Israel, for you shall take root among my elect.’ |
14 J’ai grandi comme les palmiers d’Engaddi, comme les lauriers-roses de Jéricho, comme un bel olivier dans la plaine. | 14 From the beginning, and before the world, I was created. And even unto the future world, I will not cease to exist. For I have ministered before him in the holy habitation. |
15 Comme le cinnamome j’ai donné mon parfum, comme les plantes odoriférantes; comme les sèves aromatiques j’ai répandu ma senteur, comme le baume et la myrrhe de choix, comme les vapeurs de l’encens dans le sanctuaire. | 15 And in this way, I was established in Zion. And likewise, in the holy city, I found rest. And my authority was in Jerusalem. |
16 Comme le pin parasol j’ai étendu mes branches: elles s’appellent Gloire et Grâce. | 16 And I took root among an honorable people, within the portion of my God, within his inheritance. And so my abode is in the full assembly of the saints. |
17 Comme une vigne j’ai fleuri, avec des fleurs belles à voir qui ont donné des fruits de gloire et de richesse. | 17 I was exalted like a cedar in Lebanon and like a cypress on Mount Zion. |
18 NO TEXT | 18 I was exalted like a palm tree in Kadesh and like a rose bush in Jericho. |
19 Venez à moi, vous qui me désirez, et rassasiez-vous de mes fruits. | 19 I was exalted like a beautiful olive tree in the plains, and like a sycamore tree beside the waters along a wide road. |
20 Le souvenir qu’on garde de moi est plus doux que le miel, me posséder est plus suave qu’un rayon de miel. | 20 I gave off an aromatic fragrance like cinnamon or balsam. I produced a sweet odor like the best myrrh. |
21 Ceux qui me mangent auront encore faim, et ceux qui me boivent auront encore soif. | 21 And I perfumed my dwelling place with sweet gum, and aromatic resin, and flower petals, and aloe, as well as the finest cedar from Lebanon. And my fragrance is like undiluted balsam. |
22 Celui qui m’écoute ne s’en repentira pas, ceux qui me cultivent ne pécheront pas. | 22 I have extended my branches like a terebinth tree, and my branches are of honor and grace. |
23 Tout cela n’est pas autre chose que le Livre de l’Alliance du Dieu Très-Haut, c’est la Loi que Moïse nous a prescrite et qui est le trésor des assemblées de Jacob. | 23 Like the vine, I have born the fruit of a sweet fragrance. And my flowers are the fruit of honor and integrity. |
24 NO TEXT | 24 I am the mother of the beauty of love, and of fear, and of knowledge, and of holy hope. |
25 De cette Loi jaillissent les eaux de la sagesse, semblables à celles du Pichon, ou à celles du Tigre au temps des fruits nouveaux. | 25 All grace of the way and of the truth is in me. All hope of life and of virtue is in me. |
26 D’elle déborde le savoir comme une crue de l’Euphrate ou du Jourdain aux jours de la moisson, | 26 Journey toward me, all you who desire me, and be filled by my harvest. |
27 d’elle s’échappent les eaux de l’instruction comme les flots du Nil, comme le Guihon aux jours de la vendange. | 27 For my spirit is sweeter than honey, and my inheritance is better than honey and the honeycomb. |
28 Le premier qui l’a trouvée n’en verra pas la fin, le dernier arrivé ne l’épuisera pas; | 28 My memory is for the generations of all ages. |
29 car ses pensées sont plus vastes que la mer et ses projets embrassent plus que le grand océan. | 29 Whoever consumes me will hunger still. And whoever drinks me will thirst still. |
30 Pour ma part je n’étais qu’un petit chenal du fleuve, le ruisseau qu’on dérive vers un jardin. | 30 Whoever listens to me will not be confounded. And whoever acts in me will not sin. |
31 Mais j’ai pensé: “Je vais irriguer mon jardin, je veux arroser mes parterres.” Et voici que mon ruisseau est devenu un fleuve, et mon fleuve, une mer! | 31 Whoever elucidates me will have eternal life.” |
32 Que ma doctrine brille comme l’aurore, et que s’étende au loin sa lumière! | 32 All this is a book of life, and a covenant of the Most High, and an acknowledgement of truth. |
33 Que mes leçons se propagent comme paroles prophétiques: car je veux la laisser aux générations futures. | 33 Moses commanded the law by the precepts of justice, and an inheritance to the house of Jacob, and the promises to Israel. |
34 Voyez: je n’ai pas peiné pour moi seul, mais pour tous ceux qui cherchent la sagesse. | 34 God appointed David as his servant, in order to raise up from him a most mighty King, who would sit upon the throne of honor forever. |
| 35 It is he who fulfills wisdom, like the Phison river and the Tigris river in the first days. |
| 36 It is he who fulfills understanding, like the river Euphrates. It is he who multiplies understanding, like the river Jordan in the time of the harvest. |
| 37 He sends forth discipline like the light, and he stands forth like the river Gehon in the time of the vintage. |
| 38 He first had perfect knowledge of her, for a weaker one would not search for her. |
| 39 For her thoughts abound like the sea, and her counsels abound like the great abyss. |
| 40 “I, wisdom, have poured forth rivers. |
| 41 I am like a brook leading to a river of immense waters. I am like a channel flowing from a river. And I went forth from Paradise like an aqueduct. |
| 42 I said: I will irrigate my garden of plantings, and I will thoroughly water the fruits of my field. |
| 43 And behold, my brook became overflowing, and my river drew near to the sea. |
| 44 For I illuminate doctrine to all, like the first light. And I will announce doctrine, even to those who are far away. |
| 45 I will reach to all the lower parts of the earth, and I will gaze upon all who sleep, and I will illuminate all who hope in the Lord. |
| 46 Even now, I pour forth doctrine like prophecy. And even now, I bequeath doctrine to those who seek wisdom. And I will not cease from their progeny, even unto the holy time. |
| 47 See how I have not labored for myself alone, but for all who are seeking truth!” |